TUCSON, Ariz. ?- For the 13th time in the last 15 years and fifth consecutive year, the Arizona softball team will host an NCAA Regional.? The defending national champion Wildcats were named the top overall seed in the field of 64 teams, the NCAA announced Sunday.

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The Pac-10 champion Wildcats will face MEAC Champion Howard in the first round of the regional.? Pacific and MississippiState are the other two teams headed to Tucson.

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“We are thrilled to be hosting a regional,” Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said.? “I truly believe we have the best fans in the country, and it’s a privilege to have the chance to play in front of them at home for another week.

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“Our team and the city of Tucson look forward to welcoming the other three participants next weekend for what surely will? be three great days of softball,” Candrea continued.

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Arizona ended its regular season yesterday with a 5-4, eight-inning victory over Washington and finished up with an overall record of 39-12-1 with a 15-5-1 Pac-10 record.

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MississippiState comes into the regional with an overall record of 34-25 and a 14-14 mark in SEC play.

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Pacific, which is competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004, enter the week with a 34-22 overall record after finishing 9-9 in the Big West.

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Day

Time

Game

Friday

4 p.m.

1 ?- MississippiState vs. Pacific

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6:30 p.m.

2 - Arizona vs. Howard

Saturday

1:30 p.m.

3 ?- Winner 1 vs. Winner 2

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4 p.m.

4 ?- Loser 1 vs. Loser 2

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6:30 p.m.

5 ?- Winner 4 vs. Loser 3

Sunday

Noon

6 ?- Winner 3 vs. Winner 5

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2:30 .m.

7 ?- Winner 6 vs. Loser 6

?(if necessary; each has loss)

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Pacific is the only team Arizona has played this year ?- or in its illustrious history of postseason play, for that matter.? The Wildcats defeated the Tigers 11-0 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton on March 16.? Back in 1998, Arizona defeated Pacific in the Tucson Regional by scores of 10-0 and 7-0.?

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The tournament format includes 16 on-campus regional sites featuring four teams playing a double-elimination bracket for the right to advance to the super regional round.? After that, the 16 regional winners will be broken into eight pairs and will play best-of-three game series across eight campus sites playing for a berth in the 2007 Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

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Arizona faced 18 of its fellow 63 tournament-bound teams during the regular season and went 27-12-1 in those contests.? Additionally UA, which has been ranked by the NFCA as having the top RPI and strength of schedule throughout the season, played 10 of the 15 seeded teams during the regular season for a total of 22 games.

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Fans can order tickets at arizonaathletics.com or by calling (520) 621-CATS or (800) 452-2287.

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Current Arizona ticket holders who pre-order tickets online at www.arizonaathletics.com before 5 p.m. on May 14 will be given seating priority.? Non-season ticket holders who pre-order tickets before the May 14, 5 p.m. deadline will be given the best available seats. After the season ticket holder allocation has been distributed.

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Beginning May 15 at 9 a.m., all remaining tickets will be sold and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.? Single game tickets will go on sale on May 17 at 9 a.m.